DIY Law Enforcement: Shibuya Center-Gai Patrol

Is Japan turning into a police state or what? Check out this post from Japan Probe on Shibuya Center-Gai Patrol (SCGP) a volunteer group of authoritarian do-gooders who patrol the streets of Shibuya wearing imitation uniforms--resembling police and security guard outfits--and yelling and blowing whistles at anyone who isn't behaving like a model citizen--apparently they believe model citizens should also be in motion--never standing or sitting on the street.

If you understand a bit of Japanese, then you can see that their use of strong language is clearly offensive and harassing.

It's been reported that they sometimes bring German Shepherds (also in uniform) on their patrols.

Link with videos here

UPDATE:
My friend Jeff G. adds:

Anyone who's ever had any training with conflict resolution or policing
can see that these guys are doing everything wrong. You can read by the body language of these guys; the swaggering, getting into people's faces and personal space, they've been watching too many cop dramas.

Watch the scene with the foreigner smoking and you see them kind of circle around behind while the main guy stands in front. This is a move that is used to intimidate the subject. Police (real police, that is) would use this in the case of a threatening subject, because it can be used where you want to keep someone a little unnerved and vulnerable to a take-down. It's a definitely overkill in this case.

And the scene with the German Shepherd dog that they have - what's the point of that? As these guys are not police, I can't think of any legitimate reason they would need a dog to do their "patrol". The only reason you'd have a dog like that is to attack or take down a suspect, protect the handler or search for contraband, so I am assuming it is another intimidation tactic or just an accessory for their "freelance police" cosplay.

Yeah, aren't their anti-gang laws in Japan? What's the difference between the activities of SCGP and those of a street gang:
-both use intimidation to wield influence over a neighborhood
-both congregating in groups often loitering in the street
-both signify their membership in an exclusive group with the use of special clothes

SGCP are harassing and intimating people with strong language, the use of confrontational body language, uniforms, dogs and whistles.

How would the police react if a group of young males dressed up in some intimidating uniform and swarmed around drunken salarymen with dogs and whistles and berated them for being low-lifes and a nuisance to society?

(thanks to kmb for letting me know about this story.)